Combined car-axle lubricator



No. 607,874. Patented July 26, I898.

J. S. PATTEN. COMBINED GAR AXLE LUBRICATDR, DUST GUARD, AND HOT BOX INDICATOR.

(Applicatio n filed Apr. 26, 1897.)

Sheets-Sheet I. I

(No Model.)

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No. 607,874. Patented July 26, I898. J. s. PATTEN. COMBINED CAR AXLE LUBRICATDR, DUST GUARD, AND HDT BDX INDICATOR.

(Application filed Apr. 26, 1897.)

2 Shaets-$heet 2.

(No Model.)

IIVVE/VTOH Jaiii 45. 1 mm i WITNESSES fvw Q.

UNITED STATES PATENT @Frion.

JAMES S. PATTEN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

COMBINED CAR-AXLE LUBRICATOR, DUST-GUARD, AND HOT-BOX INDICATGR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,874, dated July 26, 1898.

Application filed April 26, 1897- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. PATTEN, of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented a new and Improved Combined Car- Axle Lubricator, Dust-Guard, and Hot-Box Indicator, of which the following is a specification.

I have devised and put in actual service car-axle lubricators in which the lubricant is taken up and applied to the journal by means of a rotating roller, an example of the same being shown in my application, Serial No. 609,500, filed October 21, 1896. I have also devised and used in connection with such roller a form of dust-guard and axle-wiper which are connected with the spring-support for the roller. My present invention embodies improvements which are the result of my experience in the use of such devices. Its main parts or devices-to wit, the lubricator, dust-guard, axle-wiper, and-means for indicating a hot box-are permanently connected and elastically supported in working position by a spring, the construction and arrangement being such that they all constitute practically one apparatus which may be conveniently inserted into or removed from an ordinary axle-box and whose respective parts will retain their due position without being secured to the axle-box by any form of attachment.

The aforesaid indicator or olfactory alarm consists of a suitable holder and a contained substance that is capable of emittinga strong or easily-perceptible odor when heated to a degree beyond the point of safety for the axlejournal.

In the accompanying drawings, two sheets, Figure 1 is a central longitudinal section of an ordinary car-axle box with my improved apparatus in place therein. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is aperspective view of the complete apparatus. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4 at of Fig. 1. Fig.5 is a perspective view of the portion of the apparatus embodying the hot-box indicator and a guard for the mouth of an axle-box.

The axle-box X, journal Y, and bearings Z are shown constructed and arranged in the usual way.

As shown best in Fig. 3, my improved ap- Serial No. 633,986. (No model.)

paratus comprises the curved spring A, a lubricant-applying roller B, journaled in a V- shaped hanger O, the combined metallic dustguard and journal-wiper D, the means E, for indicating a hot box, and a front guard F.

The spring A may be made of wire or sheetsteel. In practice I am using one made of the latter.

The spring A is formed, preferably, of a single piece of wire, which is so shaped and arranged as to form two nearly parallel strands 1, that are curved upward at the front and rear ends and connect and support in due position the other above-named elements of the apparatus. The spring A is permanently attached to the metal plate F, constituting the front guard and support for the hot-box indicator Ethat is to say, the wire forming the spring is bent at the middle of its length, so as to form two right angles, (see Fig. 3,) and such angular portion is clamped by inturned edges, Fig. 5, of said guard F. The strands 1 of the spring extend along the sides of the axle-box X, Fig. 2, and their central convex portions rest on the bottom of the latter, as shown in Fig. 1. Their rear orinner portions are pivotally connected with the dust-guard D, being coiled about journal-pins 2, held in perforated lugs formed on the dustguard, and their extremities 3 extend backward from said dustguard and constitute spring-arms whose function is to support the hanger O, by which the rollenB is pressed upward and held in firm and constant contact with the axle-journal Y. Said arms 3 are bent downward from their points of attachment 2 to the dust-guard D and then upward to the points where their free ends are coiled about the trunnions or journals 4: of the hanger O. The latter (see Figs. 2 and shape to adapt it to support the roller B without itself coming into contact with the journal Y and also to pass around the flange or collar y of the journal when the apparatus is being inserted in the axle-box A, and, further, to enable it to automatically right itself and remain righted at the proper point under the middle portion of the journal-Y.

The roller B lies in the lengthwise slot of the hanger 0, parallel to the sides of the latter, and its journals 5 rest in the angles of 3) is a slotted bar made approximately V the same and are held detachably therein by means of flexible prongs or fingers 6 or 7. The hanger is formed of flexible cast metal, such as brass or cast malleable iron, and the prongs 6 7 are cast integrally therewith and straight or parallel to each other, the same being bent inward upon the roller-journals 5 after the roller B has been put in place. One prong may suffice to hold each journal 5; but I provide two for the contingency of breakage of one. In the drawings but one prong 6 is shown bent down upon and clasping the j ournal 5.

The dustguard D is a segmental metal (preferably brass) plate having an outwardlyprojecting lip or flange 8 (see Fig. 1) along its upper edge and inwardly-projecting corner portions 9, that are shaped to conform to the journal Y and serve as wipers for the same, as well as means for assisting in holding the body of the dust-guard in place. The flat back of the latter, Fig. 1, bears against the vertical inner wall a; of the axle-box X, and its flange 8 projects over the edge of such wall, and thus lies between it and the journal Y. The flange 8 forms an extended bearing on the axle, so that as the shoulder y of the latter recedes, in consequence of wear of the brass with the collar y, said flange 8 will prevent the guard passing into contact with and thus cutting into the journal-proper.

The wipers 9 extend inward in the opposite direction to the flange 8 and bear upon the shoulder y of the axle and also upon the body of the same at contiguous points. These devices 9 scrape or wipe off from the journal and its shoulder any oil that travels along the same, and thus return it into the axle-box A. They also aid in righting the dust-guard D when being forced up to its place and holding it thus righted while in use.

The front plate F, which is a guard for the mouth of the axle-box, Fig. 1, has a central hole that permits inspection and introduction of oil, as well as serving for convenient application of a hook for extracting the apparatus from said box.

At the upper end of the guard F is arranged the means or device E that serves to indicate when the journal is overheated. The said means consists of a suitable holder for some substance, preferably felt or hair 10, that is capable of emitting a strong and preferably offensive odor when burned or scorched. The holder E employed (see Fig. 5) is a sheetmetal box provided with perforations and the selected filler of hair, felt, or some equivalent substance whose volatile element is capable of vaporization at a temperature considerably below that required to produce a hot box. The box-like holder rests and is held by the spring A (see Fig. I) normally in contact with the front end of the brass or hearing Z, and thus becomes heated by conduction to nearly the same degree as the brass and journal, and when this degree is sufficiently high the hair 10 is scorched and the vapor or smoke produced, escaping through the perforations in the holder, and thence through the mouth of the axle-box,and becoming thus disseminated, is quickly perceived by the trainmen by reason of its peculiar and offensive odor.

It is obvious the holder may bear upon the journal instead of the bearing therefor with like result; nor do I restrict myself in all cases to the box-like holder E or the means for holding the substance 10 in suitable contiguity or relation to the journal or bearing. In this instance the holder E is formed from the same plate that composes the guard F and provided with Wings or flaps 11 at each end, Fig. 5, which flaps close the ends of the holder when turned inward, as shown in Fig. 3.

The holder E might obviously be of cylindrical or other forms than rectangular, and I propose to utilize any that may be preferred.

For the purpose of inserting the apparatus into an axle-box the same is so held that the dust guard D may be easily introduced through the mouth of the same, and then by applying due pressure manually to the upper outer end E of the apparatus and continuing such pressure in the arc of a circle the guard and roller are forced inward to their due working position and the indicator E then allowed to close inward against the brass Z, as shown by full lines, Fig. 1. Such inserting operation is illustrated by dotted lines, Fig. 1, the dustguard D being tilted and inclined with its concave and flanged edge forward, while the arms 3 of spring A are depressed and the hanger and rollerextended outward while passing under the collar y of the axle-journal. When the apparatus is in due position, the spring A being partly straightened, its tendency to resume its original curve causes its rear or inner end to press upward and its upper or front end to press inward, which action, in conjunction with the abutment of the spring A on the bottom and front end of the box A, serves to hold the dust-guard D and indicator E firmly in place despite the movements of the journal and axle-box relative to each other when in service.

In practice the roller B runs in a stratum of oil held in the axle-box A and being held always in contact with the journal Y it is rotated thereby, and the oil consequently taken up and transferred to the latter with a degree of copiousness corresponding with the rapidity of rotation of the journal, so that a hot box is not to be expected and is possible only under the most adverse conditions, defective bearings, roughness of the journal, and trucks being out of true.

The adaptability of the roller to right itself when being inserted and to thereafter maintain its due position despite the movements of the axle journal and box relatively is a feature of much importance, especially when taken in connection with the fact that the entire apparatus is not attached to the axlebox, for it is a highly-desirable feature and result that the apparatus shall be thus independent in order that it may be inserted and removed at will without requiring release of any form of fastening or attachment.

The above mentioned adaptation of the roller B to right itself is due, mainly, to the fact that the pivot ends of the hanger C are above the rollerthat is to say, that a straight line joining such ends would pass over the roller.

It willbe further noted that since the strands l of the spring A bear against and are compressed by the side walls of the axle-box the spring holds the roller and dust-guard central, yet allows them to follow the journal in its lateral or torsional shifting.

The dust-guard not only performs the function which its name implies, but serves also as an efficient wiper for the journal by means of the parts which hold it in right or working position.

' The apparatus thus includes or combines the functions ordinarily performed by separate means or devices in respect to lubrication, wiping, and dust exclusion, besides the important one of indicating an overheated journal. Moreover, the apparatus is so constructed as to combine adaptation for most efficient performance of the several functions stated with great simplicity and economy of manufacture.

What I claim is 1. The combination with an axle-box of the improved apparatus hereinbefore described which is self-supporting therein, and free and detachable therefrom as a whole, the same comprising a spring which rests free on the bottom of the axle-box and is curved upward at its inner and outer ends and has a recurved rear extension, a dust-guard attached to the inner end of the spring, the lubricant-applier secured to the said recurved rear extension,

' the front end of the spring being extended and curved inward and having a hearing at the front end of the axle-box, as shown and described, whereby the apparatus is held in place in the box, as shown and described.

2. The combination with the axle-box and axle-journal, of the spring having the rear ends extended upward and recurved,the dustguard and roller pivoted thereto, said spring having its front end curved and extended upward and bearing against the end of the box below its mouth and against the journal-bearing as shown and described.

3. The combination, with the axle-box and journal, of the dust-guard, and a curvedsupporting-spring whose convex portion bears upon the bottom and outer end of said axlebox and whose extended outer end rests upon the bearing of said journal, whereby the dustguard is held elastically in place, as shown and described.

4. The combination with an axle-box of a dust-guard composed of a flat plate, having journal-pins attached to its inner side, a bifurcated spring coiled about said pins, and

bearing on the bottom and outer end of the axlebox, wherebyit is adapted to support the dust-guard bodily and allow thelatter to automatically adjust itself to place, as shown and described.

5. The combination with the axle-box and axle-journal, of the spring and the dust-guard pivoted to and supported upon the raised end of said spring, and having a flat body that abuts the inner wall of the box, a concave upper edge that fits the axle-shoulder, and two corner-flanges which are curved inward and extend over said shoulder and bear upon the journal proper, as shown and described.

6. As an improved article of manufacture, the metallic dust-guard having a fiat body adapted to lie against the inner wall of the axle-box and having an integral central flange that projects outwardly and bears upon the body of the axle, and two integral cornerflanges which project inward and are curved toward each other and thus bear upon journal proper, to wipe the same, as shown and described.

7. The hot-box indicator comprising a box, or holder, having open perforations as described, means for supporting the latter in the axle-box above the oil-space and holding it in contact with a bearing, and a substance confined in such box, which is capable of emitting a strong, easily-perceptible odor when heated as specified.

8. The combination with the axle-bearing, of the improved hot-box indicator consisting of the metal box having perforations in its sides, the filling of hair, and the support for holding it above the oil-space, as shown and described.

9. The combination with the axle-box, axlejournal, and bearing, of the sprin -support, the metal box held on the upper end of said spring, and having open perforations from x AMos .W. HART, Jos. A. RYAN.

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